After watching the three video; I found the first video from Iron Springs Elementary to be the most helpful. He broke the tiers down using through a pyramid diagram, where the other two videos were voice overs of students and teachers interacting. While they were very informative, being a visual person, the pyramid diagram really helped me. With that:
Tier 1: This involves all students in the classroom, with a general education teacher. The teacher provides differentiate in their instruction and uses evidence based core curriculum. While 80-85% of the students in the classroom will understand the teachers instruction, 15% will not and will need the intervention of Tier 2.
Tier 2: This is built on tier 1 and uses various strategic and evidence based intervention to help the students. The 15% that was mentioned in the Tier 1, will break into smaller groups, usually in their classroom to receive further instruction; either from their classroom teacher or from an additional teacher in the room. It is important to note that the students in Tier 2 will participate in Tier 1 activities for the regular 90 minutes in addition to the 30 minutes of RTI extension. For those students who fall into the remaining, potential 5% of students who still need further assistance will need intervention in Tier 3
Tier 3: This is the most intense Tier of them all. Students will either be in a one-on-one or very small group setting. This allows the students opportunities to increase using specialty strategies and allows them to remain unclassified.
However, since this is not a supplement for general instruction, students will be removed from other core or encore subjects. I feel these will be a common questions among us:
#1 How will students make up the work they have missed while receiving these extra services? Being an encore subject myself, my students are often pulled out to receive additional services. I often hear " I had to go to so and so, why do I need to make up your work? It doesn't matter."
In video #2 it is mentioned that ELA is addresses in every subject, I agree with that. However, going back to the being an encore subject, when I ask students to write complete sentences in their responses I again get the response, "Why? This isn't English, or Social Studies, or Science. I don't have to use them." I do everything I can to tell them that practicing will only help them.
#2 How do I encourage students to understand that ELA is important in every subject?
A very detailed description on the Response to Intervention. My main concern is how these tiers can play a part on a students' self-esteem when it comes down to their academic performance in comparison to some of their peers. It can play with their confidence a bit once they find out what these represent.
ReplyDelete-Earl
DeleteEarl, that's a very valid concern. From my observation at this age, its 50/50 that students truly are concerned with where their classmates go or if they receive extra help. Usually they are most concerned when the student forgets to go when a substitute is there. I've seen the entire class say, its time for so and so to leave to go to another class. As they get older, this is when they tend to start to tease each other.
DeleteThat's a great point Earl raised, and it's valuable to hear your feedback Kylie, from your experience. I see how for older students, the supplemental instruction may affect their confidence.
DeleteHi I like your summary about RTI. It is very specific with details. Your concerns about the missing of the extra learning are also worthy deep thinking. Since Tier 2 and 3 are extra learning time for students with difficulties in reading, they may feel it is not necessary not very urgent.
ReplyDeleteKylie, the questions you presented are all valid and I'm sure these are some frustrations teachers are facing as we speak. Like you said, ELA is a very important subject and is addressed in other subjects as well. That's why it's even more important for teachers to establish RTI in their classrooms. Until students are getting the proper assistance, all subject areas that incorporate ELA start to suffer.
ReplyDeleteI wonder the same Kylie, how do students make up for whatever they missed to receive the supplemental instruction.
ReplyDeleteHi Kylie. The way my host teacher and I engage students when selecting a reading book or have time to develop their skills is providing them with options and something in connection. In order to help them with writing this past week we encouraged writing a letter to their parents from college. Students were engaged in searching up a school and a major in order to provide details in their letter. Things in this nature has students engaged because of the connection and involvement.
ReplyDelete